01/25/2023
Kester Kenn Klomegah’s contribution to the Horn of Africa Observer News media titled “Africa-American Diaspora Consolidating Connectivity between Africa and United States in Multipolar World” is interesting. This contribution is about the role of the African American diaspora in enhancing the connection between Africa and the United States. The African American diaspora which is the most educated immigrant community in the United States of America, is also one of the most overlooked immigrant groups in the US. In his contribution, Mr. Kolmegah presents the Biden administration’s effort to incorporate African American Diaspora in the new United States strategy to bolster the relationship between the USA and Africa specially with the success of Chinese and Russian diplomacy in Africa.
As one of the Africans who immigrated to the USA some 26 years ago and has been working in the international development field, I must recognize that although the United States has spent billions of dollars for development AIDS to Africa, unfortunately, most of this money has not brought meaningful development changes in Africa. The failure of US policies towards Africa is predominantly because the US government like Europeans have always excluded Africans from policies conversations and from the design process even when the issues supposedly to be addressed are in Africa. Those supremacist behaviors are no longer accepted by African youths and the new African leadership.
Just as Africans prefer dealing more with the USA than with European countries, they know that Americans and Europeans have always maneuvered to keep Africa underdeveloped under failed leadership and the dictatorship of “strong men”. All this, in addition to the fact that the continent of Africa was divided, colonized, exploited, and dominated mainly by Europeans with the support of the United States of America.
If current US policies and approach are being instigated with the same mindset of African countries within the same classification of the world as viewed by Europeans and the USA for centuries, my fear is that even with the US government efforts to having some handpicked Diaspora members involved may not be enough to meet the hope of African people today and tomorrow.
In fact, most of the so-called foreign development aids weren’t designed to address fundamental development issues facing the continent of Africa. That isn’t because African Americans haven’t tried to get involved. As I write this paper, currently in the Congress of the USA, the only African born member of the congress, Congresswoman Ilham Omar from Minnesota is being threatened of being removed from the intelligence and Africa committees where she has served for the past two terms, not because she has committed any crime of mistakes. Republican Kevin McCarthy, newly elected speaker of the House of Representatives and extremist republicans of the House hate her for who she is.
A couple of years ago, the International Institute for Justice and Development (IIJD) Inc, an NGO based in Massachusetts founded and led by African Americans presented what was known to be a very well-designed projects providing a comprehensive approach to tackle the root causes of poverty, lack of democracy, and development crisis in Africa.
The IIJD’s project was presented during the first term of Barack Obama. A cooperative agreement proposed to the USAID was turned down even though the IIJD's Institution reform and Justice System strengthening project was highly praised by international development experts working at the USAID. Reforming the institutions of government and strengthening the justice systems of African countries was not the type of programs that could be supported by the USA because Africa was to remain underdeveloped, undemocratic, and corrupt. We were then told that African countries really need a program like ours, but, they do not have money for that. They added that if African leaders wanted to reform their institutions, they should finance it themselves. Some experts at USAID who were helping us find alternative sources of funding within some government programs were ordered to back off.
The new generation of Africans is aware of everything their continent, their ancestors and people went through in the hands of Europeans. They are determined to live free of any domination or diktats from anybody. Africa’s new leaders have no inferiority complex. They know what is good for Africa’s future, and what is needed on the continent today. They have the support of the majority of people, among which at least 60% are under 30 years old.
The US government has no choice but to change its Africa’s foreign policy and approach in order to win the hearts of Africans who are today more opened to exploring relationships with Russia and China that are preferred to former colonial powers like France. The colonial mentalities of ignoring African people, and their leaders will no longer work. The new leaders of Africa, with the support of the youth, can no longer be intimidated. Simply adding African Americans in the deliveries of policies that they were consulted in the design may have an impact in the cooperation between the USA and the continent of Africa under President Joseph Biden. However, that alone won’t be enough to change the current trajectories. Africa needs no international development aids, and no IMF structural adjustment programs. In contrary, what Africa needs is government institutions reforms; well-functioning strong and independent Justice system; strong and independent electoral systems; economic and policy freedom; Dignity and Respect: All the things required to build Strong, democratic, just, and Developed countries.
Nations that would recognize and respect those requirements would have successful relations with Africa.
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit held in Washington has placed African-American diaspora at the core for strengthening multifaceted relations with Africa. The White House and African leaders have also stressed the importance of Africa's voices, advocated for incorporating pro...
